Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1887-03-10

'Dit-tttfdfiF diAtltiDil II NOW Dtlil1
given throughout the west to the
growing of Alfalfa for hay. I'm some
portions of Montana growers are
meeting with marked success and by
further effort with favorable seasons.
anticipate an abundant yield. We
copy extracts from an article recently
Published in the North Dakota Farmer
giving the experience of II gentleman
of that territory with Alfalfa. The
writer says.
/ II you go over the sod thoroughly two or
three times with sharp Acme harrow. the
last years breaking will he reduced to fine
soil and loose grass roots. Then turn it
over deep with stulble pillow and work il
thoroughly, early in April, and let it liz till
the weeds sprout and all danger of frost is
past, and the Acme, well used, will subdio
! the young weeds and put the ground in fine,
compact order for the seed. Sow broad
east and cover with the Acme and he will
be iairly certain oi u good stand il he seed
twenty-five pounds per acre. I shall seed
n couple Of acres the coming spring in that
way.
was here we'll into the second year
before took land, hence m, land is new.
/ But there have been two successful tests
made here. One last June. The plant
ripenod -eedl in September. About the last
of July the plants were very vigorous,
twenty to twoniy-four inches high. with
roots down twofeet. After the seed ripene,l
I ia tf.pa a',,s,i ~,
/ from the roots in the dry fall. The other
successful test was an acre seeded June :,d.
1ss5, which made "A vigorous growth, and
last season, early in June, yielded "a line
crop of hay.
| There were two failures here; first in
| 1881 when too little seed and not sufficient
culture made II light stand, not worth the
seed. The next failure was bv one of our
largest farmers, who sowed sixty pounds of
seed with barley. The barley sprouted
first, and then came the aliaifa thick
enough but hen the barry was ripe only "A
few spihdling stalks of the plant could be
found in places where the barley was very
thin. All the balance was smnthered.
II must he seeded alone. ON clean, finely
worked land, when it will yield "A fair crop
the first year, aud pasture in the fall yet
it would he better for the plants tn keep
, ,toci, oil the first year. The land must
have the most thorough culture for success
Ii cut f"r hay the first year, il should be
moved before it is in bloom. or us soon as
the first little delicate blue flowers ap,e,r.
but it would be better for the plant to let
the first crop ripen, the seed is quite a-
profitable tor more SOY as hay. Whrn
well esi iiblished il makes the hest of late
pasture, and stands tramping equal To
blue grass.
II will grow but crop the first year
will probably grow two the next two years
by August but at three years old it gem
orally makes three crops OF hay by the last
of August, with abundant late fall pasture.
The yield of cured hay for the stated
Colorado is six tons per acre for three cut
tings, the last beiug taken OIL in August
After that it is used Tor late f,l pasture.
II is the earliest plant 10 start in spri h.,
aud has, to b. killed 10y FROST in the iall 49,
q light frost Kill. il when first out of iAt
ground the first year. When two or th.,f.
inches h.h il is hardy. II can be pastur,4i
AT any seasoa t0ithplt iniuryl aft n "a
first year.
SAW II field on Feather River. at Mas,~-
vile, cal, uf eight acres pasture an aver
age ol thirty y-iive COWS aud horses through
the dry summer oi l',1l and il was Ilcct.-
sary often 10 now the rank places, i,s tia.
stock could not kpsp il down, anl the
result was ~ stack Fl hay estimated at
twrnts s-iiye tons, ia addition tothepa-fi,..
The hast fields do equally as w'il Ia t,iia-
RADIO, where the btst r,turn j. az h,h "a.
nin. tons Ia tha acre At three cuttin. =.
| rate nn acre of alfalfa. when II Ins,,
well, equal 10 three acrps of red cl,ss-r iit
productiyrnc-s. Rcd clover can not b.
compared with alfalfa for iatt,.nip took
The lattnr is the most iattrnias ~ an
plants or ,rassts. 1t viii lflttcu a = .,.,rr..,i
quicker than any food ! ever icI r.- ii q.
too relaxing for work hof7se,, nm .-s t4-v
ar limited ia quantity.
observed the growth and ci ,ts,. ..f
alfalfa irr California carefully from th
spring nf 1871 to 1876. Ny irs. rIi'i,a
ton oi II wa- ia Powder River -. V..4
the nlae Mountains, or.spn. '.'ae ,..iioy
i 900 feet ia altitude, with frust every
month in Summer, yet | succet.l.l ia ...-
ting a good stand and the second rHt-t
eat two tons al rar'l hay r ss a..
middle Of June. and another 81 ..li. s4.l
,.r,i, the Inidtll. al Jdlv